Dogs
Canine skin complications are usually frustrating for every pet owner, as they grow gradually and often affect every part of the skin. Skin sores make the dog feel uncomfortable and as a pet owner, it is quite sad to see the pet dog in distress. The sores are mostly a manifestation of some skin disease that may be in the initial stages or may have advanced into some other stage. They require early diagnosis so that the problem can be tackled at the earliest.
Types of Skin Sores in Dogs
There can be various causes of skin sores in dogs and so it often becomes difficult to diagnose the sores in the skin. Generally, following are the most common types of skin sores in dogs.
Hot Spots
A problem encountered by hairy dogs in warm weather, hot spots leads to hair loss in the area which it affects and causes a hard lesion. The dog will feel an urge to lick and in most cases bite the lesion. Medically, hot spots are known as acute moist dermatitis. These types of sores usually occur due to flea bites, poor hygiene and allergies on skins of the dog.
Demodectic Mange
Demodicosis or demodectic mange is caused by microscopic mites of the Demodex genus. These dog skin sores result in patchy fur, scaly patches on the skin and hair loss. Small dots often red in color can also be seen in some cases.
Scabies
Scabies is one of the sores on dog skins that compels the dog to scratch their skin often, even to the extent that it causes bleeding. This is caused by a bite that releases toxins in the dog's skin leading to redness in skin parts.
Blastomycosis
A fungal infection, blastomycosis is the condition that degrades with every passing day and so it needs early treatment. In blastomycosis, dogs will have severe round crust type oozing sores on the skin. As the severity of condition increases, the dog's health goes on worsening. The dog may experience weakness while walking, poor appetite and drowsiness. The dog sores in this case may crust over especially in winters.
Allergies
Another common recurring are hives that occur as raised red bumps. These skin sores cause severe itching and may end up breaking the skin.
Diagnosis
If your dog suffers from dog skin ailments that become yellow and hard with time and ooze out yellow or green colored pus, then it is probably past the right time to visit a vet. To properly diagnose dog skin sores, the veterinarian will examine the skin areas of the dog's body. The vet may need to perform some tests that can help him decipher the cause of dog skin sore.
The dog skin is examined under special lights that are known as woods light and this can be helpful in determining if the skin is infected from some problems of fungal infections. Another diagnostic test is the biopsy test in which cell samples of the dog's lump are examined under a microscope by a pathologist to check the presence of cancerous cysts or benign cysts. Sometimes, poor dog foods or nutritional deficiencies can lead to various skin sores on dogs and sample of blood tests can prove the presence of these. So the vet can ask for a blood test of the dog as well.
Treatment
The treatment depends on the cause, as every skin infection has a different treatment. The treatment procedure is often oral medication accompanied by medicated shampoos as instructed by the veterinarian. Bacterial infections may take about 2-3 months to heal so it is necessary that the pet owner has patience and takes proper dog care during this period. Other factors, like not allowing your dog to go out to swimming and interacting with other animals and people during treatment process is necessary so that the infection is not spread.
Dog skin sores can be treated by eliminating the cause of the disease. Pet owners must maintain hygiene and cleanliness in the vicinity of dog's living area and must ensure that they take their dogs for frequent medical check ups to the veterinarian, to avoid such diseases.
- Skin Disorders In Dogs
Dog's skin and coat serve as indicator of the pets' health. Itching, skin rashes, or very dry skin and fur loss are the common indications of skin disorders in dogs. Some of these disorders have such a long run, that dog owners need to have...
- Canine Skin Diseases
Skin diseases are one of the most common ailments in dogs. In most cases, skin disorders are caused due to infections and allergic reactions. Dog allergies affect the skin, rather than the respiratory tract observed in humans. The immune system of...
- Staph Infection In Dogs
Dogs are quite sensitive to infections and that may result from bacteria, viruses, parasites or dog allergy towards certain substances. Staph infection which is caused by bacteria belonging to genus Staphylococcus, is one such bacterial infection...
- Dermatitis In Dogs
Unhygienic surrounding is the most common reason for skin infections in dogs. Dermatitis can be caused by bacterial or fungal infection. It can also get triggered due to some dog allergies. Some dogs that suffer from dermatitis have been detected...
- Itchy Skin On Dogs
The problem of itchy skin in dogs is caused due to different dog health problems. Diseases caused due to these problems can give you a hard time in maintaining the skin and coat of your pet dog. Itchy dog skin can also get quite troublesome for the...
Dogs
Dog Skin Sores
Canine skin complications are usually frustrating for every pet owner, as they grow gradually and often affect every part of the skin. Skin sores make the dog feel uncomfortable and as a pet owner, it is quite sad to see the pet dog in distress. The sores are mostly a manifestation of some skin disease that may be in the initial stages or may have advanced into some other stage. They require early diagnosis so that the problem can be tackled at the earliest.
Types of Skin Sores in Dogs
There can be various causes of skin sores in dogs and so it often becomes difficult to diagnose the sores in the skin. Generally, following are the most common types of skin sores in dogs.
Hot Spots
A problem encountered by hairy dogs in warm weather, hot spots leads to hair loss in the area which it affects and causes a hard lesion. The dog will feel an urge to lick and in most cases bite the lesion. Medically, hot spots are known as acute moist dermatitis. These types of sores usually occur due to flea bites, poor hygiene and allergies on skins of the dog.
Demodectic Mange
Demodicosis or demodectic mange is caused by microscopic mites of the Demodex genus. These dog skin sores result in patchy fur, scaly patches on the skin and hair loss. Small dots often red in color can also be seen in some cases.
Scabies
Scabies is one of the sores on dog skins that compels the dog to scratch their skin often, even to the extent that it causes bleeding. This is caused by a bite that releases toxins in the dog's skin leading to redness in skin parts.
Blastomycosis
A fungal infection, blastomycosis is the condition that degrades with every passing day and so it needs early treatment. In blastomycosis, dogs will have severe round crust type oozing sores on the skin. As the severity of condition increases, the dog's health goes on worsening. The dog may experience weakness while walking, poor appetite and drowsiness. The dog sores in this case may crust over especially in winters.
Allergies
Another common recurring are hives that occur as raised red bumps. These skin sores cause severe itching and may end up breaking the skin.
Diagnosis
If your dog suffers from dog skin ailments that become yellow and hard with time and ooze out yellow or green colored pus, then it is probably past the right time to visit a vet. To properly diagnose dog skin sores, the veterinarian will examine the skin areas of the dog's body. The vet may need to perform some tests that can help him decipher the cause of dog skin sore.
The dog skin is examined under special lights that are known as woods light and this can be helpful in determining if the skin is infected from some problems of fungal infections. Another diagnostic test is the biopsy test in which cell samples of the dog's lump are examined under a microscope by a pathologist to check the presence of cancerous cysts or benign cysts. Sometimes, poor dog foods or nutritional deficiencies can lead to various skin sores on dogs and sample of blood tests can prove the presence of these. So the vet can ask for a blood test of the dog as well.
Treatment
The treatment depends on the cause, as every skin infection has a different treatment. The treatment procedure is often oral medication accompanied by medicated shampoos as instructed by the veterinarian. Bacterial infections may take about 2-3 months to heal so it is necessary that the pet owner has patience and takes proper dog care during this period. Other factors, like not allowing your dog to go out to swimming and interacting with other animals and people during treatment process is necessary so that the infection is not spread.
Dog skin sores can be treated by eliminating the cause of the disease. Pet owners must maintain hygiene and cleanliness in the vicinity of dog's living area and must ensure that they take their dogs for frequent medical check ups to the veterinarian, to avoid such diseases.
- Skin Disorders In Dogs
Dog's skin and coat serve as indicator of the pets' health. Itching, skin rashes, or very dry skin and fur loss are the common indications of skin disorders in dogs. Some of these disorders have such a long run, that dog owners need to have...
- Canine Skin Diseases
Skin diseases are one of the most common ailments in dogs. In most cases, skin disorders are caused due to infections and allergic reactions. Dog allergies affect the skin, rather than the respiratory tract observed in humans. The immune system of...
- Staph Infection In Dogs
Dogs are quite sensitive to infections and that may result from bacteria, viruses, parasites or dog allergy towards certain substances. Staph infection which is caused by bacteria belonging to genus Staphylococcus, is one such bacterial infection...
- Dermatitis In Dogs
Unhygienic surrounding is the most common reason for skin infections in dogs. Dermatitis can be caused by bacterial or fungal infection. It can also get triggered due to some dog allergies. Some dogs that suffer from dermatitis have been detected...
- Itchy Skin On Dogs
The problem of itchy skin in dogs is caused due to different dog health problems. Diseases caused due to these problems can give you a hard time in maintaining the skin and coat of your pet dog. Itchy dog skin can also get quite troublesome for the...